Strip handling apparatus



Feb. 20, 1945.

L. JOHNSON, JR., ET AL STRIP HANDLING! APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1.94@v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 20, 1945.

L. JOHNSON, JR.` ET AL STRIP HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY r ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1945. JOHNSON, JR., ET AL. 2,369,830

STRIP HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7? o 72 o (o 78 79 .se

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HTTORNEY lPatented Feb. 20, 1945 f STRIP HANDLING APPARATUS Lane Johnson, Jr., and Morris D. Stone, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 4, 1940, serial No. 351,286

(ci. 21a-4) 7 Claims.

This invention is an improvement in strip handling 'and joining apparatus, being particularly applicable for use in connection with continuous strip processing lines or the like.

In the conventional processing lines the strip joining equipment generally employed is not very satisfactory being inefficient in operation, for considerable time is lost when the trailing end of one strip is to be joined to the leading end of the succeeding` one. sually,a single feeding device is provided to handle the strip being supplied from different sources, and'hence the trailing end of one coil must be brought up to a Welder or other joining means before the leading end of the second coil can be broken away from the coil. Thus, the continuity y of the line is broken for a considerable period. n the other hand, if the line is to be continually operated to prevent marking of the strip by remaining in the processing solution, particularly an acid bath,

for toc long a period, a large looping machine or the like must be provided from which material may be drawn during the strip joining` operation.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide apparatus for overcoming the objections to paratus referred to above.

Another object is to provide apparatus for feeding strip from a plurality of uncoilers adjacent to the welding position so that very little time is required for joining the trailing end of one strip to the leading end of the succeeding one.

Still another object is to provide apparatus for feeding, shearing the leading and trailing ends, clamping and lap welding lengths of metal strips together rapidly and efficiently for further processmg.

These and various other objects as well as the various other novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings of which;

Figure I is a sectional elevation view of the apparatus comprising the entry end of a processing line taken longitudinally;

Figure II is an enlarged elevation view of a multiple shear and pinch roll machine and Figure III an elevation view of the shear and Welder combination.

Referring to Figure I by way of explanatiom the apparatus comprises spaced uncoilers I and 2, multiple pinch 'roll and shear combination 3, conveyors 4 and 5, a combination shear and welder 6 and pinch roll machine 1.

the use of the conventional type strip joining apl The multiple pinch roll and shear combination 55,

-3 consists of twoV spaced vertical side frames 8,

threaded for a considerable distance from the top ends so that top and bottom springs and 26 may be positioned thereon, being separated by the upper lugs 2| and secured in place on the rods by means of adjusting nuts.2'l. fBell cranks 28 are pivotally mounted in side frames 8 on shaft 3|, the inwardly extending arms being connected -to cross members 29 secured to the bottom ends of rods 23 and 24 and the outwardly extending arms 32 secured to the ends of piston rods 33 of hydraulic motor 34 whichis pivotally mounted in blocks 35.. Hand wheels 35 and 31 are provided for turning the top and bottom sets of pinch rolls for feeding strip therethrough.

The side frames 8 are also provided with Windows 38 in which is positioned the multiple shear 39, which consists of a stationary head 4I in which are supported blades 42 and 43, and

upper and lower movable heads 44 and 45 supporting blades 48 and 41 which cooperate with stationary blades 42 and 43 respectively. The upper blade supporting head 44, being free to slide vertically in the windows 38, is connected through link 48 to 4one arm 49 of a bell crank 5I mounted on a shaft 52 supported in suitable bearings secured to the plate 9. Pivotally connected to the other arm 53 of the bell crank is a piston rod 54 of hydraulic motor 55 which is also pivotally mounted in suitable bearings on plate 9. The bottom bladesupporting head is similarly connected through link 56 to one arm 51 of abell crank 58 pivotally mounted on shaft 59.` The other arm 5I of the bell crank is piv` otally connected to the end of piston rod 62 of hydraulic motor 53 supported in suitable bearings mounted on the base II. Hand valves 84 and 65 are operable for admitting fluid pressure from a source not shown to the top and bottom hydraulic motors and 63 respectively for actuating the upper and lower movable blade supporting heads 44 and 45.

Adjacent to the multiple shear are two guides or conveyorsl the top one 4 being horizontal and 'in communication with the top blades and the pivotally mounted between the frames is connected at one end to rod il@ of movable head l and connected at the other end to a piston rod it of hydraulic motor iii pivotally mounted in suit`= able bearings on the side trames Adjacent to the shear are a pair of resistance welding rollers @t which are supported by a crosshead tta laterally movable across the strips which are to be joined together. Intermediate the two rollers is a clamp, the lower portion @fi of which is positioned between the side frames and the upper communicating vertically movable portion 83 secured to one end of rod d. The other end of rod 85 is connected to one end' of arm 86 pivotally mounted between the side frames S8, the other end of which is connected to piston rod 8l of hydraulic motor 8d pivotally mounted in suitable bearings on side frames Following the welding rollers is a second clamp, the bottom or stationary portion 9i being mounted between the side frames 6d and the upper vertically movable communicating portion 8d being connected at one end to rod 92 which in turn is connected at the other end to arm 933 pivotally mounted between the side frames. Communicating with the opposite end of arm 93 is a piston rod 9d of hydraulic motor 95 pivotally supported in suitable bearings on side frames mi.

Communicating with the roller El is a short conveyor section 98 pivotally mounted at one end on pedestal 66. The opposite end, adjacent the shear, is yieldably mounted on a spring 9'? which is held in place by a bolt 9E passing therethrough and connected to the section 86 at one end and slidably mounted in the side frames t8 at .the other.

A pinch roll machine 'l is positioned adjacent the shear and Welder combination 6, and is followed by a looping machine, not shown, for gathering the strip as a reserve from which a supply may be drawn for continuing the succeeding processing operation during the time required for connecting the trailing end of one strip to theV leading end of the following one.

The apparatus having been described in detail, the operation of our invention may be briefly summarized as follows:

Coils of metal strip are positioned in the uncoilers i and 2 and the strip end broken away from one of the coils, for example the coil positioned in uncoiler i, and brought up to and placed between the upper pinch rolls I5 and I8 which are closed by operation of hydraulic motor 3&1. Springs 2E yieldably support the two rolls and provide the necessary traction force to drive the strip through the pinch rolls when the hand wheel 3G is turned. The leading end of the strip is cropped by actuating the upper blade 46 of the shear by means of hydraulic motor 55 and thereupon the strip is fed by the pinch rolls over conveyor d, roller 6l and through the shearand Welder combination to the driven pinch roll madit chine i which feeds the strip through the processing line.

During the time that the strip from the coil in uncoiler l is being fed through the line, the leading end of the coil in uncoiler 2 is broken away, brought up to the multiple pinch roll machine and positioned between the lower rolls which are brought together by actuating hydraulic motor 3a in the reverse direction. The upper springs 25 yieldably support the rolls and provide the necessary traction force to drive the strip through the pinch rolls when the lower hand wheel 3l is turned. The leading end of the strip is cropped by actuating the lower blade ill of the shear by means of hydraulic motor titi. The strip is then fed through the shear and the feeding operation continued until the leading end of the strip is adjacent to the roller Eil, but not quite in communication with the strip passing over conveyor i from uncoiler i, at which point the feeding is discontinued.

AS soon as the trailing end oi the strip from uncoiler i reaches the short conveyor section $36, the pinch roll machine l is stopped, the clamp si operated to rmly engage the strip and the upper movable blade lli actuated by introducing fluid pressure to hydraulic motor Si from any suitable source not shown. hand wheel 3l of the bottom pinch rolls is again turned and the strip from uncoiler 2 fed into the 4shear and Welder combination t until the leading end strikes the clamping member B9.

Thus, the leading end of the strip overlaps the trailing end of the previous strip'so that the strip ends are in position for welding, which is accomplished by actuating the clamps dit, and moving the welding rolls laterally of and in contact with the strip. It is a feature of this invention that the distance from the shearing line of blades 'i3 and 1d to the adjacent welding roller is equal to the distance between the clamp il@ and its adjacent welding roller. Since the welding rollers are very close to the shear blades and the clamp, the welds formed are at the ends of the overlapped strips so that there is no danger 'of the strip ends at the weld being fouled by bending back on themselves further on in the processing line, which frequently occurs when the lap weld is not properly made.

As soon as the weld is completed, the clamps are released, the motor operated pinch roll machine 'l again actuated and the strip from uncoiler 2 drawn through the line. A new coil may then be placed on the uncoiler i and the leading end prepared and welded to the trailing end of the strip issuing from the uncoiler 2 in a similar fashion to that disclosed herein in connection with the preparing and welding of the leading end of the strip issuing from uncoiler 2 to the trailing end of the strip issuing from uncoiler i.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

l. In combination with a line for successively processing a plurality of pieces of strip material. a plurality of coil supports, combination feeding and deecting apparatus incorporating a plurality of cooperating feeding rolls, a pairI of super- Thereupon, the lower' posed shears at the delivery end of said feed-` ing mechanism, a plurality of vguides for'directing successive pieces -of the strip material to a common point, a second shear and Welder for preparing the pieces of strip material and joining the ends thereof together, and means for directing the connected strip away from 4said cropping the trailing end therefrom to prepare the strip for welding, a stop forming vpart of said clamp and with which the leading end of a succeeding strip previously prepared for welding comes in contact, a second clamp for clamping'together the overlapped strip ends, and a pair of welding rolls, one positioned on either side of said last mentioned clamp, movable transversely to weld said strips together.

3. The combination according to claim 2 in which the welding rolls are positioned equidistant from said shear and said ilrst mentioned clamp.

`4. The combinationf or successively feeding and joining together the ends of a plurality-of metallic strips comprising a plurality of coil supports, combination feeding and deflecting apparatus incorporating a plurality of cooperating feeding rolls, a pair of superposed shears at the delivery end of said feeding mechanism for cropping the leading end of each of the strips passing therethrough, a plurality of guides for directing the strips to a common point, a clamp for engaging one of the strips adjacent to its trailing end, a second shear adapted to crop the end thereof to prepare the strip for welding, a stop forming part of said clamp and with which the leading end of a succeeding strip previously prepared for welding comes in contact, a second clamp for clamping together the overlapped strip ends, and a pair of welding rolls, one. positioned -on either side of said last-mentioned clamp movable transversely across said strips to weld them together.

5. Thecombination according to claim 4 in which the welding rolls are positioned equidistant from said second shear and said first-mentioned clamp.

6. The combination according to claim 4 in which the welding rolls are positioned adjacent to and between said second-mentioned shear and 'said first-'mentioned clamp.

7. The combination for successively joining to- -gether 'the ends of a plurality of pieces of metallic strip comprising a plurality of coil supports, combination feeding and deflecting apparatus incorporating a plurality of cooperating feeding rolls, a pair of superposed shears at the delivery end of said feeding mechanism for cropping the leading end of the strip passing therethrough, a plurality of guides for directing successive pieces of the strip to a common point, a clamp for restraining one -of the pieces adjacent to its trailing end, a second shear adapted to crop the end thereof to prepare the strip for welding, a stop forming part of said clamp and with which the leading end of a succeeding strip previously prepared for welding comes in contact, a second clamp for clamping together the overlapped strip ends, and .welding means positioned on either side of said last-mentioned clamp movable transversely of the overlapped strip ends to 

